ecryptical

Florida AG McCollum: Arizona is Going to Want Our Law

2010-08-12T08:11:00.004-04:00

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, a Republican candidate for governor, and state Rep. Bill Snyder, R-Stuart, introduced the draft of an "Arizona style" immigration enforcement law that they hope will be passed next year by the GOP-controlled legislature.

Yes, the same Bill McCollum who recently said that gays and lesbians should not be able to be foster parents or adopt children.

In some ways, the bill goes beyond Arizona in discouraging the presence of undocumented immigrants within state boundaries.

"I support the Arizona immigration law," McCollum said at a press conference in Orlando. "But this is our law, not their law. Arizona is going to want our law."

Music From Mathematics

2010-08-11T10:09:00.002-04:00

Acousmata was started in February 2009 in order to share research in electronic and experimental music, sound and acoustics, mysticism and technology.

It seems appropriate that some of the first pieces of computer music were composed by a man with the fantastically dorky name of “Newman Guttman.” Realized on the state-of-the-art IBM 7090 computer at the legendary Bell Labs in New Jersey, the work of Guttman, Max Mathews, and others helped inaugurate a new age of synthetic sound.

”Pitch Variations” explores the nonlinear relationship between frequency and perceived pitch that arises in periodic vibrations too quick to be perceived as rhythm, yet too slow to be heard as tone— the realm of what would later be called pulsar synthesis. This noisy little piece of electronic music history thus anticipates many later developments, from granular synthesis to glitch.

Televangelist Benny Hinn Cures People With Gods Jacket

2010-08-11T10:00:00.002-04:00

Witness the almighty healing power of televangelist Benny Hinn (and his magic jacket)! Hinn claims to have the “anointing”, a special power given to him by God to heal the sick.

At Hinn’s Miracle Crusades, he has allegedly healed attendees of blindness, deafness, cancer, AIDS, and severe physical injuries through his powers. Apparently these super-human powers extend to his jacket, which he uses as an instrument of God to cure the sick during his events.

Be sure to check out the video below of him in action at the bottom of the page.

From The Withered Tree a Flower Blooms

2010-08-10T11:28:00.002-04:00

Thank You Jerry!

2010-08-09T08:38:00.001-04:00

Thank you Jerry!

Ceci N'est Pas Une Pipe

2010-08-06T14:26:00.002-04:00

Are You Ready to Get Your Guts Kicked Out?

2010-08-05T14:47:00.004-04:00

This evening, I have plans to go see Cut Chemist. I have no idea what to expect, but I am probably ready to get my guts kicked out!

Linda Eve Diamond: Author, Listening Expert and Groovy Human Being

2010-08-05T09:08:00.008-04:00

Linda Eve Diamond is an author with nine books in the areas of business, education, self-help, and poetry. I have had the pleasure of attending one of her poetry readings with my children (it was wonderful) and have enjoyed her company in more informal settings.

Every once in a while I try to pick Linda's brain for writing tips. I am not sure if she is even aware that I have been slowly gathering information from her about the process of writing, but her commentary has been immensely helpful in getting my writing on track. Thanks Linda! She is one groovy human being and the subject of this week's interview.

Linda is also the creator of www.ListenersUnite.com, a website dedicated to listening skills, and the recipient of two International Listening Association awards. Her website is www.LindaEveDiamond.com.

When did you first know that you were going to write for a living?

I was a writer before I knew it—literally. I was in the corporate training field and was taking on more and more program development and technical writing projects. My writing about communication issues began to take on new dimensions, and I was growing as a writer even though I didn't realize it at the time. The corporate training company was a successful family business, which was my mother's dream—so I tried to make it mine. By the time she retired, we both knew my heart wasn't in the business nearly as much as it was in the writing. She encouraged me to follow my dreams.

What is/are the biggest challenges you have faced as a writer?

Confidence has always been and continues to be my greatest challenge. When I first started feeling good about things I’d written and when others responded positively, each success felt like a lucky fluke. I had a few books out before I began to feel comfortable even saying that I was a writer. Somewhere inside me lurked the fear that I would establish myself, print up cards, and then my luck would run out. Taking credit for luck seemed fraudulent, but so far I’m still pretty lucky!

Do you set aside time each day/week to write and do you impose deadlines on yourself?

When I started freelancing, I saw work as the priority and tried to set aside time for living; now I live and set aside time to work. I prefer most of my writing time to be during typical workday hours because I enjoy having total downtime in the evening, though that’s a fluid idea. I still enjoy writing in the evenings when it can be a relaxed, creative time. As for deadlines, I have no trouble meeting external deadlines, but I'm not nearly as good about the ones I set for myself. I used to be so strict about them, but now I see that sometimes the things that slow down the process become part of the process. Sometimes, ideas need more time to brew, and experiences that slow a project down make it richer in the end. I know one thing, that I’ll be right where I need to be when it’s time.

What other creative endeavors are you working on?

I’m preparing to record a new poetry CD and to open an online gallery of photographs. I'd say when I expect them to be announced, but no one would believe me after what I just said about self-imposed deadlines!

What is the weirdest moment you have had as a professional in the creative arts field?

The weirdest moment for me was the first time someone recognized me. I don’t think “recognized” is the right word, because I was surrounded by author signs with my name, but she was the first to walk up off the street and know me from my writing. She ran up to me saying, “Oh my God! It’s you! You’re here!” She was pointing to the sign with my name, then me, and she was so excited that I was sure someone I knew was teasing me. She was on vacation from Ohio and had read a feature article about me and my poetry in a local magazine. She flustered around in her purse and pulled out a piece of paper to show me that finding my book was on her “Must Do” list. I don’t know which one of us was more excited, but I’m pretty sure it was me.

What is the one thing about your work that most people do not know or misunderstand.

My book topics include motivation, team-building, sales, listening skills, educational material (reading, language skills, and spelling), business writing skills for foreign-born executives, and poetry. Now I’m putting out photography and hoping to have my children’s books published. I imagine that looks a little scattered, but it seems perfectly rounded to me. Listening is critical to business success and is part of every business book I write. There is poetry in listening and listening in poetry. Photographs are poetic expressions and are often moments of deep listening. Everything is connected—even business and poetry.

Some subscribers to my monthly newsletter might be interested only in business, or primarily in communication issues, or exclusively in poetry. Few people's interests will completely mirror the interests of another. At first, I was advised that every topic should be its own newsletter with its own list. Unfortunately, that would be completely overwhelming to me. There would also be a good deal of crossover, which might not work well for people subscribing to more than one. So, I do my best to create the newsletter in a way that people can easily scan for their interests. I've received some good feedback that this has been working well. I'm thankful that newsletter subscribers will stay with me even though their interests may not be addressed with anything new for a month or two. I also appreciate the thoughtful comments I receive from readers. Writing is solitary, but the work is sent out with the hope that it will connect with someone. So, it's always heartening to hear about those connections.

Live Webcam of Ichthyosaur Excavation

2010-08-05T09:01:00.002-04:00

Armchair archeologists are in for a real treat: Live webcams of an ichthyosaur excavation!

The 14th Amendment: Lets Just Modify It A Little Bit

2010-08-04T09:26:00.004-04:00

I wonder who is going to stand up to this starting 5 in the fall?

Mitch McConnell
John McCain
John Kyl
Jeff Sessions
Lyndsey Graham

Yossarianesque

2010-08-04T08:56:00.005-04:00

Last week, Judge Judith Bartnoff signed a temporary restraining order against The National Law Journal (NLJ) enjoining it from publishing certain details that the NLJ legally obtained from court documents.

Specifically, the NLJ was not allowed to name a government agency conducting a regulatory inquiry into one of the subjects of the article, POM Wonderful.

Bartnoff, as she considered the order, said, "If I am throwing 80 years of First Amendment jurisprudence on its head, so be it." She said the court's interest in maintaining the "integrity" of its docket trumped the First Amendment concern.

I am not sure how integrity has anything to do with this ruling. If the item is in the court documents, why shouldn't the NLJ be permitted to publish the details?

This week, the Judge has seen the light and ruled differently.

Its still unclear on what authority the judge gave the initial ruling in the first place.

Community Sheild - August 8th

2010-08-04T08:07:00.005-04:00

The Community Shield, featuring Chelsea v. Manchester United will be played this Sunday, August 8th to kickoff the Premier League season. I know I will be watching!

Chelsea’s biggest departure during the summer has been Joe Cole to Liverpool. Michael Ballack has also left the club for Bayern Leverkusen. Yossi Benayoun has joined Chelsea from Liverpool. Petr Cech is still injured and is unlikely to feature though he could be ready for the Premiership opening the following week. Didier Drogba is also a doubt.

Man United are likely to rest Wayne Rooney for this match but new signing Javier Hermandez, who impressed playing for Mexico during the summer’s World Cup, will probably play. Chris Smalling has also joined from Fulham and could start. Goalkeeper Ben Foster left Manchester United over the summer to join Birmingham City. Anderson, who was already struggling with a knee problem, will not play after his car accident last weekend.

The start of the Permiership always brings new questions. Will Manchester City be able to buy a title? (No!) Can Tottenham finish in the top four again? (Yes but it will be close.) Will Chelsea repeat? (No - Ballack is a real loss - Go with Man Utd.) Will Liverpool regain their mojo? (Yes) Will the newly promoted teams be relegated? (Yes, but Newcastle will stay up top) Will Arsenal, Villa and Everton continue their emergence? (Yes, No, and Yes)

Illegal to Give a Free Ride in Quincy IL Unless Specifically Licensed

2010-08-03T13:21:00.003-04:00

Do you think it should be illegal to offer free rides to drunk drivers?

In Quincy, IL, police conducted a sting operation that nabbed the operator of Courtesy Rides.

Jonathon Schoenakase was arrested Saturday morning around 1:30 after he gave an undercover police officer a ride from a Quincy night club.

Police say they have received complaints about Courtesy Rides operations from other licensed taxi operators.

Schoenakase began his free ride service in January 2008.

Schoenakase faces charges from a previous sting operation last February.

A change in Quincy's taxi and limousine ordinance last year makes it illegal for Schoenakase to give free rides without proper licensing.

I would love to see how this one ends up being resolved.

August Started?

2010-08-03T07:59:00.006-04:00

Was that August that just started?

Wow!

So I guess this is the stretch where it just stays hot all the time.

This morning I ran at the beach before the sun came up and it was already roasting outside!

According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no single water consumption formula for everyone. I am trying to drink between 64 and 96 ounces of water a day to stay well hydrated.

Do you make a conscious effort to drink water during each day?

Good luck staying hydrated everyone!

Insurance?

2010-08-02T09:09:00.001-04:00

Insurance?

I want to know, but I don't want to know. You know?

Daft Punk is Playing at My House

2010-08-02T08:40:00.004-04:00

I have recently discovered the phat beat pounding fun of LCD Soundsystem, and their recent video 'Drunk Girls' is a wonderful journey into the disturbed mind of what a weird post modern music video should look like.

After watching the video a few times I noticed a link for their juicy 'Daft Punk is playing at my house' which has become my new favorite flavor of the day. A related interesting mashup combines The Beatles, The Kinks and LCD Soundsystem.

And since I'm talking about Daft Punk, the web was buzzing over the weekend, with the leaking of the Tron soundtrack featuring music by Daft Punk.

Contraband @ Kennedy Airport

2010-08-02T08:32:00.002-04:00

Over the weekend, I saw an amazing photo essay on contraband items at the Kennedy Airport in New York.

Taryn Simon, a Guggenheim fellow who lives in New York, spent five days and nights at Kennedy, barely sleeping. Her daily rhythms were driven by the relentless arrival of newly impounded goods. After negotiating for four months with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Ms. Simon received permission to photograph all newly arriving contraband from Nov. 16 to Nov. 20, 2009. She used a large-format camera and a neutral backdrop.

“I wanted the shoot to be somewhat of a performance piece, where my photographs were replicating the actual flow of goods during a very fixed period of time,” she said.

The process was exhausting. “There’s video footage of me at the end of the shoot, being woken up by someone to press the shutter,” Ms. Simon said. “I was literally falling off my seat.”

I wish I could pick out a favorite, but so many of the images just seem plain odd. Who brings 'unknown' meat in a canteen bottle on an airplane? Dead guinea pigs? Cow dung toothpaste?

California Courts Uphold Order Making Homeless Man Pay Child Support and Lose Inheritance Even Though DNA Excludes Him As the Dad

2010-08-02T08:20:00.003-04:00

I read a case this morning that makes me feel very uncomfortable. I think when you look at the facts, you will feel the same.

Sometimes following or not following procedure as outlined in the law has some interesting results. For example, there are statutes of limitations on all kinds of claims because our society does not want people 40 years down the road claiming that they were injured by someone in their youth without the ability to fully substantiate the claim.

But, what if you could substantiate the claim?

Last week, the California Supreme Court declined to review a Court of Appeal decision that forced Hari Wilburn, a homeless man, to pay tens of thousands of dollars in child support for a child even though DNA excludes him as the dad and he never acted as the dad.

In 1991, Cathy Tate named Wilburn as the father of her five-year-old child Alexis in a restraining order proceeding. Wilburn, who was homeless, was never personally served, and there is no record of any service except by mail to Wilburn's mother's address, which is not legally proper. Nonetheless, the court found Wilburn was served, issued a restraining order and ordered Wilburn to pay child support. Wilburn was not present.

17 years later, in 2008 Wilburn's family tracked down 22-year-old Alexis and asked her to take a DNA test, which excluded Wilburn as Alexis' biological dad. Wilburn's family hired an attorney, who filed a motion challenging the support order. Alexis swore under oath that Wilburn never acted as her dad and she only saw him a few times in her life. The court denied the motion, ruling Wilburn should have challenged the order sooner, despite the fact that he was homeless and living under a bridge.

Fridays Are Cool!

2010-07-30T08:43:00.002-04:00

Mystery Man Keeps Showing Up On TV In England

2010-07-29T14:15:00.002-04:00

This is really fascinating!

The identity of a mystery man who has been appearing in the background of live news bulletins over the past few months has finally been revealed.

The man's many appearances had been tracked by the fidgetwith.com blog which spotted him hovering in the background of reports on Sky News, ITV, BBC and Channel 4, as well as on an episode of 'The Antiques' Roadshow'.

Now it's been revealed that he is Paul Yarrow, a 38-year-old care worker from South London, and his appearances are part of a protest against the media.

He told the Evening Standard: "It is a statement about the image conscious media. I am overweight and people like me are treated as unsightly because of the way they look."

"I could have a valid point about something but the microphone is always passed to the person alongside me. The point I am making is that the more you push me aside, the more I'm going to be determined to make my presence known."

Wal-Mart Wont Sell Fresh Seafood in Florida Anymore

2010-07-29T09:45:00.004-04:00

Wal-Mart is going to stop selling fresh seafood in Florida.

The decision was not related to the oil spill, but because the company did not did not see enough business in fresh seafood, Joaquin Gonzalez, Wal-Mart vice president for Florida told The St. Petersburg Times Tuesday. Wal-Mart, Florida's third largest grocery chain, still sells frozen seafood, he said.

If I were going to eat fresh seafood, it would not be from Wal-Mart.

Interestingly, Whole Foods already has stopped buying and selling seafood from the gulf, even from waters that are deemed safe for fishing, said Russ Benblatt, spokesman for Whole Foods markets in Florida.

As I mentioned before, I wouldn't eat it anything from the Gulf anyway!

Hacker Breaks Into ATMS With $10.78 Key And Dispenses Cash Remotely

2010-07-29T08:27:00.005-04:00

At the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas, Barnaby Jack, Director of Research at IOActive Labs, used a laptop with a custom-built software tool called “Dillinger" (named after the famous bank robber) to overwrite the machine’s internal operating system, and take complete control of the ATM and send commands for it to spew cash on demand.

Jack demonstrated two different attacks against Windows CE-based ATMs — a physical attack using a master key purchased on the Web and a USB stick to overwrite the machine’s firmware; and a remote attack that exploited a flaw in the way ATMs authenticate firmware upgrades.

He did not provide any technical details that would allow anyone to reproduce the attack techniques but suggested that a skilled hacker could exploit these weaknesses if ATM manufacturers continue to create software with gaping security holes.

“There are attack vectors in all these standalone or hole-in-the-wall ATMs,” Jack warned, noting that many ATMs are protected by a master key that can be bought for $10.78 on hundreds of web sites. ”With this master key, I can walk up to a secluded ATM and have access to USB [and] SD/CF slots. In some cases, opening and inserting my USB key was faster than installing a skimmer,” he said.

The Dillinger tool came with a graphical UI that included features to “Retrieve Track Data,” or simply “Jackpot!”. A click of the Jackpot button and the commandeered ATM started spewing cash on demand!

Why doesn't that happen to me when I go to the ATM?

Man Tries to Cash a Forged Check for $1Mil @ Drive-Thru and Gives Bank His ID

2010-07-29T08:19:00.003-04:00

Tip of the week:

If you are going to try to cash a forged check for $1,000,000.00, please do not try it at the drive-thru and give them your driver's license!

Click here for the charming mugshot.

Arizona Immigration Law Blocked By Judge Bolton

2010-07-28T13:29:00.003-04:00

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the most controversial parts of Arizona's immigration law from taking effect, delivering a last-minute victory to opponents of the crackdown.

The overall law will still take effect Thursday, but without the provisions that angered opponents -- including sections that required officers to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws.

The judge also put on hold parts of the law that required immigrants to carry their papers at all times, and made it illegal for undocumented workers to solicit employment in public places.

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton ruled that the controversial sections should be put on hold until the courts resolve the issues.

New Term Starts Today

2010-07-28T10:15:00.003-04:00

The new term starts today and my students are already emailing me with all kinds of weird requests. I love it when the email starts with the phrase 'I have to attend a funeral in two weeks.'

Enjoy the term students!

Taxpayers May Pay For BP Oil Spill: BP Claiming Tax Credit of Nearly 10 Billion Dollars For Losses

2010-07-28T08:28:00.005-04:00

President Obama has insisted BP would bear the entire cost of cleaning up the spill and making the injured business and wildlife whole again. And yet BP said it plans to claim $9.9 billion in U.S. tax credits based on the $32.2 billion charge it reported related to costs for the Gulf oil spill. That means that $9.9 billion that might have been going into the federal government’s general fund will be used to cut BP’s spill costs by a third.

Please write to your Congressman and urge them to stop this from happening!

Ahmadinejad Hates Paul the Octopus

2010-07-28T08:04:00.002-04:00

I think it is possible that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad just may have lost another vote in the next election.

Ahmadinejad, the Iranian leader, says Paul the Octopus, the sea creature that correctly predicted the outcome of World Cup games, is a symbol of all that is wrong with the western world.

"Those who believe in this type of thing cannot be the leaders of the global nations that aspire, like Iran, to human perfection, basing themselves in the love of all sacred values," he said.

Illegal Immigrant Crossing Signs Posted in Naples, FL

2010-07-27T08:55:00.004-04:00

Intolerance is alive and well in Florida.

In Naples, FL, a crosswalk, which is equipped with a recently-installed traffic light, connects a largely Spanish-speaking mobile home community with a shopping center.

Over the weekend, someone put up a sign that says, Illegal Immigrant Crossing.

Collier County officials quickly removed the offending signs after they were reported on Sunday afternoon.

Florida Church to Hold 'Burn a Koran Day' on September 11th

2010-07-27T08:29:00.003-04:00

According to Yahoo news, a Florida church will be holding a 'Burn a Koran' day on September 11th. The church is also crusading against Gainesville's openly gay mayor. It plans to hold a "No Homo Mayor" protest outside Gainesville City Hall in early August.

My hope is that the Comic Con protesters show up!

Serious Violations of Floirda Child Care Licensing Law Could Have Same Penalty as Littering

2010-07-27T07:37:00.009-04:00

On March 16, 2009 The Florida Department of Children and Families received a complaint that a child was left unattended at the Miami Shores Baptist Academy's playground across the street. While the investigation was ongoing, the complaint says, the parent of a child who attended the day care told a DCF caseworker that another child had been left unsupervised at the playground.

In response to the March 16 report, which DCF verified, the agency fined the academy $100 for a ``Class 1'' violation of child-care licensing rules; ``the most serious'' violations under state rules, the complaint says. Class 1 violations involve behavior that poses ``an imminent threat to a child,'' the complaint states.’

The mere fine of $100 for this seems completely unreasonable and I had to look up the rule myself because I could not believe it.

Chapter 65C-22.010 of the Florida Administrative Code discusses Class I violations.

Under(2)(d)(1)(a) the Disciplinary Sanction code states:

For the first and second Class I violation, the department shall issue an administrative complaint imposing a fine not less than $100 nor more than $500 per day for each violation and may impose other
disciplinary sanctions in addition to the fine. (2) (d)(1)(a)Disciplinary Sanctions.

Class I Violations.

For the first and second Class I violation, the department shall issue an administrative complaint imposing a fine not less than $100 nor more than $500 per day for each violation and may impose other disciplinary sanctions in addition to the fine.

The specific authority can be found in the following sections of the Florida Statutes: 402.305,402.310

So for the first two violations, a fine of merely $100 could be the sole penalty.

However, under FS 402.312 the State can get injunctive relief to close the facility:

(2) Other grounds for seeking an injunction to close a child care facility, family day care home, or a large family child care home are that:

(a) There is any violation of the standards applied under ss. 402.301-402.319 which threatens harm to any child in the child care facility, a family day care home, or large family child care home.

Thus, if the state essentially decides not to close the facility under the statute, the penalty for a ‘serious’ violation of child care licensing is the removal of the ‘Gold Seal’ designation which can later be restored and as little as a $100 fine.

That is what happened in this instance.

For comparison, In Pasco County, FL the fine for a non moving violation is $114.00. Throwing a piece of tissue of our your carcould earn you the same fine as a serious violation of child care licensining law.

Paul Levine: Bringing the Funk With Love

2010-07-27T07:19:00.006-04:00

Paul Levine is the brainchild behind the Bear Creek Music Festival, my favorite yearly musical event. The Festival is held in November at the beautiful Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida.

The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park offers cabins and camping, swimming, canoeing, horseback riding, hiking trails and a general store and restaurant and hosts many great annual musical events, including Wanee Festival, Suwannee River Jam, Springfest, Magfest and Paul's latest offering, the Blackwater Music Festival.

Paul's charm and passion flows like a river as he took me up on the offer to be the subject of this week's interview.

What kind of work goes into preparing the Bear Creek Music festival and what are the biggest challenges you have faced?

We work on Bear Creek year round. Last year, we announced our initial 2010 line-up on Jamcruise, January 5 2010, less than 2 months after Bear Creek 2009. Conceptually, we are already thinking about Bear Creek 2011. We are even toying with the idea of announcing a few 2011 artists in this year's program.

I recently moved to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl. so that I can spend more physical time at the site getting to know how the Park works and getting more familiar with the ways of Suwannee County and the region. Many of our Bear Creek crew also live in this area, so we are able to work on new projects and better management year round. Our Festival Operations Manager Sonny Perez and I get together weekly for updates and breakfast.

The greatest challenge we have ever faced, and I hope that we ever will face, occurred in the fall of 2007. My friend and partner Lyle Williams had purchased an amazing property in Quincy, Florida- with the actual Bear Creek running through it- that was intended to be the home of the first Bear Creek Festival. 5 weeks before the show, the local Board of County Commissioners, spurred on by angry and organized local religious folks, denied our special events permit for the show. After this set-back, we hustled to find a suitable replacement venue for Bear Creek. We strongly gave consideration to canceling the show but, in the end, we decided to move to The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. And, as they say, the rest is history. I don't really believe in destiny, however, we consider the day we moved to the Music Park a really special and lucky moment.

What is your actual festival experience like?

I really love festival time so much. In our community, in north Florida and this area, Bear Creek has become a special late fall gathering of old friends, a family reunion of amazing people. The bands feel this way, so does the staff and the incredible music enthusiasts that travel from all over the country to support their favorite bands. During the show, I do everything possible to see at least one song by every band at that festival. We have about 60 bands this year, so I will surely fail at this endeavor, but I will try. I truly appreciate everyone coming to Bear Creek and playing their hearts out for this community. I love talking to our guests, our old and new friends. I love wandering around the campgrounds getting a feel for the vibe on site.

What other creative endeavors are you working on?

Our next big show is the Blackwater Music Festival, also at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park August 26-28. It has a super line-up focusing on different music than some of the other Park festivals. Slightly Stoopid, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Disco Biscuits, STS9, Galactic and JJ Grey and Mofro head the bill.

Every May, we present The Purple Hatter's Ball in honor of our friend Rachel Hoffman who was killed in a horrible undercover drug sting gone bad. Next May will be the fourth annual.

Now that I work at the Music Park, I am helping to organize a series of smaller regional music events focusing on the music of the area. We have had Valdosta In The Park and Gainesville In The Park, both focusing on their respective communities. This fall we will focus on Central Florida, Tallahassee and Jacksonville.
We are involved in bringing live music to Tallahassee at the Engine Room and work closely with The Freebird Live in Jacksonville.

This past May, we presented our first two shows in New Orleans during Jazzfest. That was quite an honor and a thrill.

What is the weirdest moment you have had as a professional in the creative arts field?

I can think of a few that I probably ought to keep to myself. LOL. One of the great perks of the job is never having a shortage of interesting and absurd moments, both musically and socially. The weirdest moment probably occurred back in 1996 when I was involved with a music club/bar/restaurant in Aspen, CO. There was a political rally/musical event organized to get the vote out in opposition to the proposed expansion of the Aspen Airport runway. I found myself on a dais speaking against this initiative with journalist Dan Dunn, John Bennett( mayor of Aspen), Bob Braudis( sheriff of Aspen), and Hunter S. Thompson. I was 25 at the time and I remember thinking, " what the hell is this dumb a**ed 25 year old doing on stage talking about local politics with these guys". What a celebration we had after victory on Election Night.

What is the one thing about your work that most people do not know or misunderstand

Well, I hope that people understand that Bear Creek is a collaborative effort. While I am always appreciative of folks kind words of praise for the festival and for my job performance, I hope they understand that every person that organizes, performs at, works at and attends a music festival is equally responsible for the success of the show. We are all on the same team. For a festival to be truly successful in my mind, it involves not only finances but more importantly the experience each participant of the event enjoys. The Bear Creek community is so special for a few fundamental reasons- because the fans love each other so much- because the artists respect and care for each other so deeply -because the staff is a family that has watched each other's backs for years. Over the first three years of Bear Creek, our fans and artists and staff have grown together and come together as the Bear Creek community. We all look out for each other and our festival. If any part of that equation was out of synch, the energy of Bear Creek would be completely different.

It Was 20 Years Ago Today. RIP Brent Mydland

2010-07-26T08:43:00.004-04:00

Like a feather in a whirlwind
Blow away

My wife and I were in Columbus, Ohio and had just finished going on Summer Tour in 1990. We heard on the television that it was being rumored that Brent had died. I immediately called David Gans to verify if the news was true. When David confirmed the news, our hearts were broken.

For me, it was the beginning of the end of the unraveling of the Grateful Dead. I did go on Fall Tour in 1990 to see the changes in the band and continued to see lots of shows, but I think most Deadheads would agree that the band never really regained their mojo that they had from the early spring of '89 to the middle of '90.

Wal-Mart is Putting Trackable Radio Tags in Your Underwear That Cannot Be Turned Off

2010-07-26T08:09:00.003-04:00

Hansel and Gretel wanted to follow a trail of cookie crumbs. Wal-Mart wants to follow your underwear.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to roll out sophisticated electronic ID tags to track individual pairs of jeans and underwear, the first step in a system that advocates say better controls inventory but some critics say raises privacy concerns.

Starting next month, the retailer will place removable "smart tags" on individual garments that can be read by a hand-held scanner. Wal-Mart workers will be able to quickly learn, for instance, which size of Wrangler jeans is missing, with the aim of ensuring shelves are optimally stocked and inventory tightly watched. If successful, the radio-frequency ID tags will be rolled out on other products at Wal-Mart's more than 3,750 U.S. stores.

While the tags can be removed from clothing and packages, they can't be turned off, and they are trackable.

Do you think this will also apply to boxers?

Botswana Bushmen Denied Access to Water

2010-07-23T09:11:00.003-04:00

Can you imagine living without having any access to water?

Botswana’s High Court has denied the Kalahari Bushmen access to water on their own land!

The Judge ruled that the Bushmen were not entitled to access an existing water borehole on their lands or to drill a new one inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, one of the driest regions in the world.

The ruling is a blow to the Bushmen who have struggled without water since 2002 when the Botswana government sealed and capped a borehole to drive them out of the reserve. In 2006, the forced evictions of the Bushmen were declared illegal and unconstitutional by the High Court, and hundreds have since returned to their land.

Bushmen are also being prevented from bringing water to their relatives inside the reserve.

This is completely unimaginable!

There are many ways you can help.

Writing a letter to the Botswana government is a quick and simple way to let them know of your concern.

Donate to the Bushman campaign (and other Survival campaigns).

Write to your MP or MEP (UK) or Senators and members of Congress (US).

Write to your local Botswana high commission or embassy.

If you want to get more involved, contact Survival…

Visit the Bushmen’s own website…

Newark Mayor Orders Government to Stop Buying Toilet Paper

2010-07-22T16:29:00.003-04:00

If you are in Newark, and you find yourself asking, someone if they can 'spare a square' then you are likely going to be out of luck.

Actually, if you happen to be in Newark at all, then good luck anyway!

Things are getting so bad in Newark that the mayor has ordered the government to stop buying toilet paper.

It's part of Newark Mayor Cory Booker's belt-tightening plans that include reducing most city workers to a 4-day work week and shuttering city pools. Booker estimates that the pool closures alone would save $250,000. He also says that no gas will be purchased for municipal vehicles that are not deemed critically important.

I personally like the phrase 'belt-tightening' in this context.

Greetings Professor Falken: Want To Play A Game

2010-07-22T16:06:00.005-04:00

00000000

This was the secret access code to the computer controls of the U.S. nuclear-tipped missile arsenal between 1968 and 1976.

I am sure that some kid would have never figured that out. That reminds me, I think its time to see the movie again.

Archaeologists Have Discovered a Second Henge At Stonehenge

2010-07-22T12:28:00.004-04:00

I know when I think of Stonehenge, it immediately makes me think of this infamous piece. I have always been fascinated by the 'real' Stonehenge and hope to visit there someday.

This week, archaeologists have announced they have discovered a second henge at Stonehenge, described as the most exciting find there in 50 years.

Project leader Professor Vince Gaffney, from the University of Birmingham, said the discovery was "exceptional". Gaffney said he was "certain" they would make further discoveries as 90% of the landscape around the giant stones was "terra incognita" - an unexplored region. "The presumption was this was just an empty field - now you've got a major ceremonial monument looking at Stonehenge," he said.

Carbohydrate Rinse and Spit Improves Performance

2010-07-22T09:14:00.003-04:00

Exercise scientists say they have stumbled on an amazing discovery. Athletes can improve their performance in intense bouts of exercise, lasting an hour or so, if they merely rinse their mouths with a carbohydrate solution. They don’t even have to swallow it.

Wow!

Arizona Gov: Speed Cameras Are Intrusive: Law That Requires Officers To Determine Immigration Status Based On Reasonable Suspicion Is Not Intrusive

2010-07-21T08:54:00.007-04:00

Arizona has turned off every speed camera on its highways after complaints that they violated privacy and were designed to generate revenue rather than promote road safety.

A spokesman for Jan Brewer, the state's Republican governor, said she "was uncomfortable with the intrusive nature of the system."

It is ironic that Jan Brewer feels that cameras that document speeding are intrusive but a law that requires officers to determine the immigration status of people they stop for another offense based on a “reasonable suspicion” that they might be illegal immigrants is not intrusive.

Miles Forman - Filmmaker, Actor, Musician

2010-07-21T08:36:00.001-04:00

Miles Forman is a film producer and a native of South Florida. His projects have brought him to all corners of the world including Europe, Africa, and South America. Miles' latest film Fatboy: The Movie, is available on Netflix, Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and wherever DVD's are sold.

I had the pleasure of attending the premiere of Fatboy sitting between Jeff Novick and Michael Moore and I can say that seeing the movie was a real inspiration for me to continue on my path towards wellness.

Miles and I have become friends and have attended many concerts together. At my suggestion, Miles was kind enough to offer his insights for this week's interview.

How has your life changed since the making of Fatboy?

The #1 thing I have learned is that my battle with weight will never be over. That once I obtained better health, I still had to work at it week after week. Though, I now have the confidence that my efforts to lose weight won't be in vein, and that I will always shed any gained weight if I bare down and use the knowledge and tools I obtained from Fatboy. I got married earlier this year and ended up putting on about 15lbs, due to the constant celebrating and a minor neck injury I sustained, (while moving boxes) I was unable to keep my regular exercise routine. (and eating habits) I still have around 8lbs to go!

Can you tell me a little bit about your foray into the music business?

It's much more intimate than filmaking - it moves much faster too! With music, you don't need a large crew, costumes, locations, etc. I'm working with an artist named Hyro Da Hero on what I feel will be a great rock/rap album. Hyro is much different than your typical "rapper", as he's got great appreciation for the evolution of music and how "modern music" became what it is. Never have I met a kid like him, who listens to R.E.M, Fugazi, Johnny Cash, David Bowie, and Jay-Z - AND understands how they all relate! Perhaps, what I'm trying to say is that his album is all about music and substance, then it is about image and flash. The premise of rap music is great, though I find 96.7% of what is produced to be terribly contrived.

Are you working on any current film projects?

In this economy?! Are you crazy?! LOL! Yeah, I have a few things moving S L O W... It's just hard to raise the $$ and I don't want to do another documentary - so I'm trying to raise some real cash for for a real movie.

What is the weirdest moment you have had as a professional in the creative arts field?

I'll give you three!

1. Driving through the foggy mountains of Costa Rica in the middle of the night while our driver was smoking crack cocaine willingly. We wanted to take him out, but decided that it would be safer to just let him do his thing.

2. Being on a tour bus with WEEN for 5 hours (if you know who these guys are you'll understand this one)

3. I don't know if this is "weird" exactly, but I once spent the night in a hotel constructed exclusively for midgets! We went overtime at Culver Studios and they decided to shack us up in this place built in the 1930's for the cast of Wizard of OZ, Somewhere Over The Rainbow,etc,etc Everything in the place was to scale - the shower presented the biggest challenge.

What is the one thing about your work that most people do not know or misunderstand?

That I probably should have just stuck to being an actor! The producing end of things is very stressful, though, I do enjoy it!

Can a Naked Mannequin In a Store Window Be Obscene?

2010-07-20T10:55:00.005-04:00

Can a Naked Mannequin In a Store Window Be Obscene?

In Miller v. California, the United States Supreme Court said that obscene material is not protected by the First Amendment.

The court in Miller developed what is known known as the 3 pronged obscenity test. The Miller Test, breaks the questioned display or gesture into three categories:

Whether “the average person, applying contemporary community standards,” would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest, whether the work depicts or describes sexual conduct specifically defined by applicable state law in an offensive way, and whether the work lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.

In Beatrice, Nebraska, a naked mannequin caused quite a stir.

Beatrice Police say they tried to contact the store’s owner, Kevin Kramer, about covering up the mannequin, but were unsuccessful.

Officers then taped paper over the area of the window where the mannequin was, to cover it up.

Tobias Tempelmeyer, city attorney, said that the main issue in the debate is whether or not the display was obscene.

“We’re currently looking at whether or not it was obscene,” Tempelmeyer said Friday. “The U.S. Supreme Court and State of Nebraska have a system to determine if something is obscene. At this point, I’m not willing to say one way or another.”

Despite claims that the display was not obscene, as of Friday morning, the store owner had dressed the mannequin in a candy bikini along with a toy assault rifle. The clothed picture of the mannequin is at the top of the post, which, could in fact be considered more objectionable than a naked mannequin.

Do you think a naked mannequin is obscene?

Gun Permit Owners in Texas Get to Bypass Metal Detectors at Capitol

2010-07-20T08:00:00.003-04:00

If you have a gun permit, and trying to get into the Texas Capitol, you are in luck:
You don't have to go through the metal detectors in the building!

A unique loophole in a new security procedure means a gun permit is like a special-access pass into the domed building, allowing people who are certified to carry a gun to bypass lines at the metal detectors that were set up after a shooting incident earlier this year.

"Nobody wants to be the one standing in line behind three hundred kids wearing the same colored T-shirt," said University of Texas political scientist Jim Henson. "If you're trying to get in and out really quick and there's going to be choke points, well, people don't want to have to deal with that."

It's not required that people have a gun to enter the Capitol through the express lane. Merely holding a valid permit, and presenting it at the entrance, will get them expedited entry.

Los Angeles: City of 10,000,000 Now With Closed Libraries 28% of the Time

2010-07-20T07:47:00.005-04:00

The library has always been a source of comfort and inspiration. I loved going to spend time at the library when I was a kid and can remember being dropped off there for hours just enjoying the space that the books provided. There were no computers and I spent most of my time in or around the card catalog.

Los Angeles has a population of 10,000,000.

For those 10,000,000 people, the library is now closed 28% of the time!

Hours at the city's 64 branch libraries also have been reduced because of employee furloughs, or unpaid days off. Starting July 1, library employees were no longer required to take part in that budget-cutting initiative.

If you live in Los Angeles, don't bother going on Sunday, or on Monday either.

There is Something Wrong With the 'No Child Left Behind' Rules

2010-07-19T08:38:00.004-04:00

Under the Obama administration rules, for a district to qualify for Federal Stimulus money, it must do one of several things: must do one of the following: close down; be replaced by a charter; remove the principal and half the staff; or remove the principal and transform the school.

Joyce Irvine was the principal of Wheeler Elementary School. Ms. Irvine’s most recent job evaluation began, “Joyce has successfully completed a phenomenal year.”

Jeanne Collins, Burlington’s school superintendent, calls Ms. Irvine “a leader among her colleagues” and “a very good principal.”

In Ms. Irvine's school 37 of 39 fifth graders were either refugees or special-ed children. Under No Child rules, a student arriving one day before the state math test must take it.In September, 28 new students — from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan — arrived at Wheeler and took the math test in October. Five percent of Wheeler’s refugee students scored proficient in math.

United States Senator Bernie Sanders noted all the enrichment programs, including summer school, that Ms. Irvine had added since becoming principal six years ago.

In Vermont, there are no charter schools. For Ms. Irvine, the only option for the school to obtain federal stimulus money was to step down.

Washington Post to Out Contractrors Working on Top Secret Projects

2010-07-19T08:15:00.004-04:00

The New York Times Co. v. United States, (per curiam) 403 U.S. 713, 91 S. Ct. 2140, 29 L. Ed. 2d 822 (1971), often referred to as the Pentagon Papers case, concerned the government's attempt to prohibit the New York Times and the Washington Post from publishing portions of a secret government study on the VIETNAM WAR.

The Pentagon Papers case addressed whether a prior restraint on the press can be justified under the First Amendment. A prior restraint is the imposition of a restraint on the publication of information before the information is published.

The Supreme Court decided on a 6–3 vote that a prior restraint could not be imposed on publication of the Pentagon Papers. In a brief opinion the whole Court noted that the government "carries a heavy burden of showing justification for the imposition of such a restraint" and stated that the government had failed to meet that burden. The brief opinion reflected the widely varying views of the nine justices. The Court could not agree on a precise standard for determining when the government may impose a prior restraint on free speech or even whether the government could ever impose a prior restraint.

This week the Washington Post is expected to publish articles and an interactive website that will likely contain a compendium of government agencies and contractors allegedly conducting Top Secret work.

In short, they are going to 'out' contractors working on top secret projects.

Some are saying that the government is concerned.

Others are saying the Obama Administration, outside of the intelligence corridor, is “basically cool with it.”

Someone or Some Group is Trying to Corner the Chocolate Market

2010-07-19T08:06:00.004-04:00

Chocolate lovers beware. Over the weekend, someone or some group of traders made the largest single cocoa trade for 14 years sending prices to their highest levels since 1977.

The cocoa beans, which are sitting in warehouses either in The Netherlands, Hamburg, or in London, Liverpool or Humberside are equivalent to the entire supply of the commodity in Europe, and would fill more than five Titanics. They are worth £658 million.

Analysts said it was very unlikely that a chocolate company, such as Nestle or Kraft, or even their suppliers, would buy such a huge order in one go and that is was probable that one or a number of speculators, possibly hedge funds, had attempted to corner the market. By doing this, they would have control of the entire supply in Europe, forcing the price yet higher.

Did You Know the Earth's Upper Atmosphere Contracted and Collapsed?

2010-07-16T07:07:00.006-04:00

Did you know that the atmosphere of the earth contracted and collapsed this week?

Did you know it is not the first time this has happened?

An upper layer of Earth's atmosphere recently collapsed in an unexpectedly large contraction, the sheer size of which has scientists scratching their heads, NASA announced Thursday.

The layer of gas – called the thermosphere – is now rebounding again. This type of collapse is not rare, but its magnitude shocked scientists.

"This is the biggest contraction of the thermosphere in at least 43 years," said John Emmert of the Naval Research Lab, lead author of a paper announcing the finding in the June 19 issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters. "It's a Space Age record."

The thermosphere interacts strongly with the sun, so is very affected by periods of high or low solar activity. This layer intercepts extreme ultraviolet light (EUV) from the sun before it can reach the ground.

When solar activity is high, solar EUV warms the thermosphere, causing it to puff up like a marshmallow held over a camp fire. When solar activity is low, the opposite occurs.

Breathing is Underrated

2010-07-15T09:45:00.000-04:00

Breathing is Underrated

Can a Lawyer With Cerebral Palsy Who Requires Assistance to Eat and Use the Bathroom Engage in Unwanted Sexual Contact?

2010-07-14T14:30:00.007-04:00

How can a lawyer, with Cerebral Palsy who requires assistance to use the bathroom (see the comments) and has to rely upon his father and an aide for help with the most basic tasks, such as feeding himself, engage in unwanted sexual contact?

A court in New York is going to consider the unusual case of Hippocrate Mertsaris, the aforementioned attorney.

The thinking part of Mertsaris’ brain works fine. He moves his head to manipulate a computer. He graduated from college and earned a law degree.

Mertsaris works as a lawyer at the Taxi and Limousine Commission. He handles cases involving taxi drivers.

Last October, a Taxi and Limousine Commission judge accused Mertsaris of grabbing her upper thigh and buttocks while they were in the office alone. His aide had gone to file papers.

His arms and hands tend to flail around and that’s where the trouble started. When people get too close to him, Mertsaris tends to get nervous and he has more trouble controlling his arms. He says his arm moved and hit her. He says he did not intend to touch her.

However, two years ago, he sent the judge a series of emails — which appear to have creeped the judge out, since she asked Mertsaris’s supervisors to make him stop emailing her (which he did).

A video of a recent interview with Mertasris can be found here.

I welcome your opinions here. What do you all think?

Would You Eat It?

2010-07-14T08:51:00.002-04:00

Shrimp, grouper, tuna and other seafood snatched from the fringes of the oil in the Gulf of Mexico are safe to eat, according to a federal agency inspecting the catch.

To date, roughly 400 samples of commonly consumed species caught mostly in open waters — and some from closed areas — have been chemically tested by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Officials say none so far has shown concerning levels of contaminants. Each sample represents multiple fish of the same species.

Would You Eat It?

I'm a Pisces and I don't eat fish. To me, its kind of like giving a cow a hamburger. If I were going to consider eating fish, I cannot imagine eating anything from the Gulf of Mexico now or ever.

Coast Guard Rescinds Band of Reporters and Photographers From Oil Spill

2010-07-13T16:57:00.003-04:00

National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen today announced new procedures to allow media free travel within the 20-meter boom safety zones if they have followed simple procedures for credentialing, and provided they follow certain rules and guidelines.

"I have put out a direction that the press are to have clear, unfettered access to this event, with two exceptions -- if there is a safety or security concern," said Allen. “This boom is critical to the defense of the marshes and the beaches.”

"We need to discriminate between media, which have a reason to be there and somebody who's hanging around when we know that we've had equipment vital to this region damaged," Allen said.

Previously, media were required to contact local authorities each time they wished to access booming operations. The 20-meter safety zone was created to prevent boats from going over the top of booms; it is not intended to limit media access.

In today's day and age, media coverage of any national event is almost a given. I wonder what has taken them so long to rescind the band?

10 Year Old Kids Can Be Given License to Own Gun in England

2010-07-13T10:49:00.004-04:00

This is almost hard to believe.

The BBC is reporting children as young as 10 can be given shotgun licenses in England. Over 1000 children under 18 already have a license.

Archive.org Is Awesome!

2010-07-13T09:22:00.006-04:00

The Internet Archive is a non profit that is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, they provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, and the general public.

I really enjoy using the Live Music Archive. You can also download the music for free!

Another area that I love to access is the LibriVox portion of the archive. You can listen and download free audio books from the LibriVox collection. LibriVox volunteers record chapters of books in the public domain and release them for free on the Internet. Their goal is to make all public domain books available as free audio books. LibriVox is a totally volunteer, open source, free content, public domain project.

If you are an educator, there are loads of resources on the archive, including all kinds of videos, historical documents, college lectures. If you are interested in accessing an older version of the web, you can always visit the webarchive.

Gross!!!

2010-07-12T16:58:00.003-04:00

Um... Look out kids!

Update! The NY Times has an entire article on the investment side of this 'product!'

House of Representatives Caps Automakers Liablity and Weakens Safety Standards

2010-07-12T12:04:00.003-04:00

The LA Times today is reporting that the House of Representatives have capped automaker's liability for safety violations at $200 million. That seems like a high number doesn't it?

Although the bill no longer provides for unlimited fines against automakers who violate safety laws, the $200-million cap in the House version is substantially larger than the current $16.4-million maximum, which Toyota paid this spring for failing to promptly order a recall of sticking gas pedals. The Senate version has a cap of $300 million.

Federal regulators said at the time that Toyota's liability would have been $13.8 billion had it not been for the existing cap.

I can almost hear Carl Sagan saying 13.8 billion.

David Gans - Intelligent and Gentle Spirit

2010-07-12T09:24:00.004-04:00

Photo by Bob Minkin

I have had the pleasure of knowing David Gans for over 20 years. David struck me as an articulate, intelligent and gentle spirit when he graciously welcomed me and my wife into his home back in 1989. We sat up all night talking about the past and the future of our favorite band and enjoyed the magic of the universe together.

Back in the days of Prodigy and Mosaic, I stayed in touch with David via membership in The Well and our mutual friend, Rebecca Adams. His personality is electric and infectious and I am glad to consider him a friend.

As he notes in the interview, David was a songwriter and musician before he ever heard of the Grateful Dead. A biographer might note that he is an accomplished artist, writer, and producer and well known by Deadheads as the host of the Grateful Dead Hour. In my view, framing David by those accomplishments only provides one view of the genuine all around cool guy that he is.

David kindly agreed to answer a few questions and is the subject of this week's interview.

It has been nearly a year since you have had some health issues. How are you feeling and how has the entire process changed you as a person?

Y'know, I didn't have to make a lot of changes in my lifestyle. I was already eating wisely and exercising regularly. My body has a hobby of making arterial plaques, so I needed to make some adjustments in my diet and start taking a statin, but it wasn't as big a deal for me as it is for people whose diet and sedentary existence were more directly connected to their health issues.

My wife went through chemo (successfully) for lymphoma seven years ago. Now we both feel we're living on "bonus time."

There are 15 year old kids today hearing the GD Hour and becoming introduced to the band through your radio program. How is the experience of getting on the bus today different from getting on the bus four decades ago?

Jerry Garcia is gone, so the Grateful Dead doesn't exist any more. The surviving band members are making good music in various combinations, and there are lots of bands around the country keeping that style of music alive. I imagine it's the same as when I got into Bob Wills' music in the '70s, only there's way more GD music available today (for free, on demand, online) so anyone who's interested can get the complete picture of the band's musical history. Not the same as going to a Grateful Dead concert and feeling the real vibe in real time, but it is what it is.

What are some of your favorite moments/experiences in the Grateful Dead community.

Nothing like being there at midnight on New Year's Eve when Bill Graham did his outrageous pageant for an arena full of very high people! But also, being there in that "moment of perfect silence" deep in the second set when it was just you and Jerry.

With the slow death of reel to reels and cassette tapes, how has the digitalization and nearly instant access to the music changed the community?

It has made it easier for newcomers to be brought up to speed, and harder for musicians to make a living.

What is the one thing about what it is that you do that most people probably do not know or understand?

I'm here for the music, and I have spent a great portion of my adult life studying and evangelizing Grateful Dead music. But I was a songwriter and musician before I ever heard the Dead, and I am nowhere near as obsessed with it as many people seem to think I am, or should be.

Defense of Marriage Act Unconstitutional

2010-07-12T09:14:00.003-04:00

Last week, a Federal District Court in Boston ruled that Section 3 of Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) — the section of the 1996 law which denies federal benefits to legally married same sex couples — is unconstitutional, stating that it interferes with the traditional state right to define marriage and forces the state to “violate the equal protection rights of its citizens.”

The Obama administration is in an unusual position. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. has criticized the marriage act as violating the civil rights of same-sex couples. However the AG has also defended the statute as the prevailing law of the land until Congress repeals it.

Mike Judge to Bring Back Beavis and Butt-Head

2010-07-09T21:24:00.004-04:00

I know my friend Cosmic will probably enjoy this news more than any other news from this past week.

Mike Judge has reportedly agreed to bring back Beavis and Butt-Head for 30 new episodes.

According to the report, Judge will keep the original show’s low budget look, and the format will remain true to the original episodes, where Beavis and Butt-Head comment on music videos. The show will feature current music videos, but the format will be the same.

Miami!

2010-07-09T09:54:00.004-04:00

LeBron, Wade, Bosh AND Trading Beasley and getting Mike Miller?

Yes!

Done!

2010-07-08T16:22:00.002-04:00

I need to remind myself to fly next time. 13 hours in a car is not cool anymore.

Road Trip

2010-07-02T22:37:00.002-04:00

It is amazing what a shift of space and shape happens when you hit the road.

There is something so refreshingly honest about putting miles on the family vehicle and taking yourself to a completely different environment.

Brasstown Bald

2010-06-30T18:25:00.001-04:00

Brasstown Bald

Yummy!

BP to Escambia County: "Dear Sirs - We Can't Find A Telephone Number to Reach You"

2010-06-30T08:26:00.004-04:00

"Dear Sirs,We have not been able to contact you regarding your claim as we do not have a working phone number to reach you."

You would think this message is a form letter from an insurance company trying to contact someone who has been in an auto accident and has been in the hospital for months after their home has been foreclosed.

Nope!

The letter is from ESIS, a third-party claims administrator for BP. The letterhead listed a Wilmington, Del., address, but the signatory listed a Hammond, La., address.

The only phone number on the letter was an 800 number to a claims center. When a reporter from the Pensacola News Journal called that number, he was referred to a Louisiana-based media contact number. That number went directly to a voice mail system that would not allow the reporter to leave a message.

County Commission Chairman Grover Robinson indicated that all documents submitted have been on letterhead that has the County's contact numbers.

Clearly there is outrage over the oil spill. I would anticipate this outrage to be fueled by the methodology employed to handle claims.

After Chinese Re-education, Monks Regret Uprising

2010-06-29T17:55:00.004-04:00

Adrian Bradshaw/European Pressphoto Agency

The New York Times has a fascinating article today on the re-education of several Tibetan Monks.

The article states on March 28, 2008, the monk, Norgye, and dozens of fellow monks barged into a temple chamber where foreign journalists were being escorted around by Chinese government officials. The monks had then cried out, “Tibet is not free.” This time, on Tuesday, Norgye had a different message: he had been punished through patriotic re-education, and he had repented.

“I wasn’t beaten or tortured,” he said. “We had to learn more about the law. Through education about the law, I realized what we had done in the past was wrong and was against the law.”

Nateva Festival Webcast July 2-4

2010-06-29T10:25:00.002-04:00

Iclips is going to be hosting a webcast of the Nateva Festival July 2-4. At this time, the webcast lineup is not available.

The festival lineup will be highlighted by performances from:

Further featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir
The Flaming Lips
The Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi Band
George Clinton and P-Funk
and, one of my favorites, The Heavy Pets

Oil is 6 Inches Below The Sand In Pensacola.

2010-06-29T07:06:00.005-04:00

WEAR Television has a video today that is worth seeing.

The video shows a geologist digging a trench on Pensacola's beach. Six inches below the beach surface a layer of oil is visible. I wonder if there are other layers of oil below?

While it is important to clean the surface of the beach, it is clear that the cleanup will require removing a substantial amount of sand.

The cleanup in the water seems to be an identical process: Clean the surface. It is not difficult to imagine the immense damage to the body of water. Other than dispersing chemicals, is this going to ever be addressed?

This reminds me of Craig T. Nelson shouting "You moved the headstones but you didn't move the bodies!"

Escambia County Florida Defies EPA - "OK To Go In Ocean Even If We Haven't Tested The Water"

2010-06-28T10:05:00.007-04:00

The Pensacola News Journal is reporting that the Escambia, Florida County Health Department lifted a health advisory on Pensacola Beach on Friday on the advice of a beach official and against the advice of a federal environmental official.

Hours after the Pensacola Beach advisory was lifted, the health department asked for state approval to issue an oil-impact advisory that leaves the decision to swim in the Gulf of Mexico up to the discretion of individual beachgoers.

Dr. John Lanza, director of Escambia County Health Department, said the health department did not test the water or sand samples before lifting the health advisory. He did send out health department employees to look at the water before they covered up the health advisory signs.

Dick Snyder, director of the Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation at the University of West Florida, began conducting water samples May 3 on Pensacola Beach every Tuesday and Thursday because beach and health officials were only doing visual assessments. What you can't see in the water may be more dangerous than what you can see, he said.

Lanza also lifted the advisory against the advice of Charlie Fitzsimmons, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deputy branch chief for Florida.

So far, 400 people have sought medical care for upper or lower respiratory problems, headaches, nausea, and eye irritation after trips to Escambia County beaches, Lanza said.

Captain Don Picard, Airline Pilot

2010-06-28T07:43:00.003-04:00

Captain Don Picard is an airline pilot for Contintental Airlines. Don has worked with the airline since 1987 and is a longtime friend. I know it probably sounds strange to hear the name 'Captain Picard' and not think of the Enterprise, but they are not the same person even though they have never seen before in public together. Don has way more hair and has a better taste in music!

Don and I have had many conversations about his fascinating daily routine at work. This week, Don is the subject of this week's interview, and I have included just a few of his answers to some questions that I think everyone probably wants to know about airline pilots.

What is Cockpit Resource Management?

Continental initiated this in the late 1980s and other airlines followed. Under the old school of thought, the captain basically was the sole person who was dictating how to respond to circumstances. Now everyone has a say, but the captain has the final decision.

The idea is that you try to identify threats that are associated with your flight. There are numerous types of threats including the weather, experience levels of crew, going into an airport for the first time or for the first time in a long while, terrain, and maintenance issues. Maybe there isn’t something working right on the airplane and you can still fly safely.

Then you solve and find solutions to find how you are going to manage the threats. Those are things you do as the captain. You come up with a plan how you will deal with stuff you foresee and of course there are things you cannot anticipate. Basically, when you come up with the plan, it is a collaborative process.

A few days ago, we had a system called the auto-breaks that were not working properly. You really don’t need them because you can use the manual breaks by using you foot. The issue is that you are so used to having them and when you are at the so called, ‘high speed regime’ of the takeoff and if you have to abort, you would be likely to rely to rely on the auto breaks. But because they were in operative, I made sure in my briefing with the first officer, ‘Lets remember that if we have to abort the takeoff that we have to use the breaks manually and not rely on the auto brakes.’

And the CRM continues throughout the whole flight. You need to be aware of where you are at all times and that’s why we all go thru the training all the time.

What is the one thing that the public may have a misconception about the people who work for the airline industry?

People probably think that pilots or flight attendants always sleep around. That is not really how it is.

Can you describe the experience of flying overseas on long flights?

If I flew from Houston to Tokyo I find it less tiring to do a 14 hour flight than to do 3 different domestic flights. On the long hauls, we have IROs, the International Relief Officer. They relieve the crew of their duties so that after takeoff and prior to landing the crew gets rest breaks. It is regulated by the FAA. Any flight over 8 hours you will need 3 pilots and anyone over 12 hours you will need 4 pilots. On the Houston to Tokyo flights, we would divide the breaks in half so that I would get a 5 ½ rest period. The person with the most seniority on the flight gets to choose the order with the Captain picking first. Essentially the flight is divided in half.

One you level off from taking off.. You leave about 10:45 am. Around 1130 am the first break would begin and two pilots would use their bunks. They are like bunk beds with a door and a privacy curtain. If you are person like me who can sleep anywhere or at any time, then you could sleep for the next 5 hours. After the break is up, usually around Anchorage, then the next pilots take their breaks. Everyone is back in the cockpit at least an hour from arrival. By getting the sleep on the long flight it made the flight very restful. I always felt awake and aware. So I loved flying the long hauls and did not get fatigued.

Fatigue happens to everyone. In the hotels, if you don’t get sleep at night, that can be a real threat the next day. On domestic flights you are up and down with delays and it is just more tiring on the body.

What was your weirdest experience as a pilot?

I can’t really talk about that

Yard Sale Weekend

2010-06-25T06:59:00.001-04:00

Yard Sale Weekend

What is the best yard sale item you have ever purchased?

Wilt The Stilt #1, MJ #2

2010-06-24T11:30:00.004-04:00

The NBA draft is tonight and I know I will be watching to see how it unfolds.

A preview of potential draft picks is available and everyone is wondering who the 'sleeper' of the draft will be. I think Gordon Hawyard, Devin Ebanks and Ekepe Udoh are prime candidates and in the second round, I like Trevor Booker's work ethic, the decisionmaking and shotmaking capabilities of Greivis Vasquez and the potential of Lance Stephenson.

Teams seem to be ready to jockey around for positioning in the free agency market and are ready to deal players and make trades for draft picks tonight and future development. I would not be surprised to see Miami get 3 big name players when all is said and done including Lebron James.

With all of the talk about Kobe Bryant winning another championship, there are many who are saying he now deserves to be ranked ahead of Michael Jordan as the greatest player of all time.

No Way!

MJ is not even #1 in my book. Ask anyone over 50 years of age and you will likely get a very different answer:

Wilt Chamberlain.

The rules of the game changed because of Wilt. Is there anyone else who can make that claim?

This stat line from the 1961-1962 season tells it all:

50.4 points per game
25.7 rebounds per game
48.5 minutes per game (A regulation NBA game is only 48 minutes!)

These are averages for the season. That is just unreal!

Telephone Nostalgia

2010-06-24T07:44:00.004-04:00

The new Apple iPhone 4 comes out today in stores.

The media has reported that people are standing in line or camping out for this device for the past week. If you are like me, you might be thinking, ‘who cares?‘

I like my cellphone as much as any gadget I regularly use. It is right up there with the spoon and the remote control for the TV.

The one item I would probably use it more for would be computing. For me, the cell phone interface is too small to view and the ability to run multiple programs at the same time is somewhat limited. I prefer my desktop.

My grandmother lived to be 103 years old and I think quite a bit about the technological changes she saw in her lifetime. In here 90s she was shown a picture of ultrasound and she was completely bewildered. She could not imagine how the image was taken.

My mother would tell me stories about using a ‘party line’ in their tenement building in New York City where anyone could pick up the phone at any time and listen to your conversation. As a result, privacy obviously was compromised all the time.

When I was a kid, we had rotary phones and they were a giant pain to use. In my grandmother's town the population was small so that the phone numbers had 5 digits. Our town had 7 digits and my parents had a number with lots of 8s. There was no call waiting, or three way calling so a busy signal meant that you had to redial all over again. Dialing those 8s sucked!

My sisters and I used to call 2 numbers quite a bit. One was the time and temperature number. The second was the ‘chicken line’ where the noise on the other end always sounded like someone was killing a chicken.

I remember using the payphone as a kid and paying .10 per call. I don't think I have seen a payphone in a public place in several months.

Like most people, I have always had some suspicion about the power of telephone system, especially phone phreaking. As an adult, I became a big fan of 2600 magazine and continue to go to the bookstore and read it every month. The back of the magazine has always featured pictures of odd phones in odd places around the world. A big thank you to Shawn for turning me on!

59-59 in the 5th Set!

2010-06-23T16:26:00.002-04:00

59-59 in the 5th set!

YES!

2010-06-23T12:25:00.002-04:00

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

2010-06-23T09:44:00.000-04:00

Big game this morning at 10 EST.

For Some Perspective

2010-06-22T15:32:00.005-04:00

It is so easy to think that perhaps life is not as you would like it to be at times.

For some perspective, I thought I would take a glance at some headlines from around the world.

Devastating floods have washed over Brazil claiming 39 lives and left as many as 100,000 people homeless.

Storms have pounded southern China for more than a week, killing at least 199 people, with 123 still missing, as landslides have cut off transportation, and rivers and reservoirs have overflowed according to Xinhua, the Chinese news agency. Torrential rains burst a dike in southern China, sending 88,000 people fleeing their homes.

A remote-controlled roadside bomb ripped through a bus transporting Turkish military personnel and their families in Istanbul, killing 5 people.

Thank You For Reading!

2010-06-22T11:31:00.003-04:00

The ecryptical audience is growing beyond my wildest expectations.

If there is anything that you would like to submit to the blog, feel free to email me at the address in my profile.

Thank you all for visiting and reading!

Loving Kindness and the 2010 Texas Republican Platform

2010-06-22T09:28:00.006-04:00

The Texas Republican Party 2010 platform has some elements that merit careful reconsideration.

In principle 6, the platform states, ‘we believe in… self-sufficient families, founded on the traditional marriage of a natural man and a natural woman.’ The platform demands legislation that would make it a felony to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple and for any civil official to perform a marriage ceremony for such.

The platform thus calls for criminalization of same sex marriages including those who perform the ceremony!

Under the bold, uppercase heading, “Strengthening Families, Protecting Life and Promoting Health” the Platform contains a Family and Defense of Marriage provision:

“We support the definition of marriage as a God–ordained, legal and moral commitment only between a natural man and a natural woman, which is the foundational unit of a healthy society, and we oppose the assault on marriage by judicial activists. *** We further call on Congress to pass and the state legislatures to ratify a marriage amendment declaring that marriage in the United States shall consist of and be recognized only as the union of a natural man and a natural woman. Neither the United States nor any state shall recognize or grant to any unmarried person the legal rights or status of a spouse.”

The platform also calls for marriage rights in other states be revoked as well.

Under the Family Values section the Texas GOP Platform states,

“we affirm that this section is a response to the attacks on traditional family values. These include well funded, vigorous political and judicial attempts by powerful organizations and branches of the government to force acceptance, affirmation and normalization of homosexual behavior upon school children, parents, educational institutions, businesses, employees, government bodies and religious institutions and charities. These aggressive, intolerant efforts marginalize as bigots anyone who dissents.”

The Pali word metta is a multi-significant term meaning loving-kindness, friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, fellowship, amity, concord, inoffensiveness and non-violence. The Pali commentators define metta as the strong wish for the welfare and happiness of others). Essentially metta is an altruistic attitude of love and friendliness as distinguished from mere amiability based on self-interest

True metta is devoid of self-interest. It evokes within a warm-hearted feeling of fellowship, sympathy and love, which grows boundless with practice and overcomes all social, religious, racial, political and economic barriers. Metta is indeed a universal, unselfish and all-embracing love.

Sharon Salzburg, a well respected writer has written extensively about the notions of Loving-Kindness expressed in metta. This is excerpted from "Loving-kindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness" by Sharon Salzberg, 1995, Shambala Publications.

From this beginning, metta practice proceeds in a very structured way and specific way. After we have spent some time directing metta to ourselves, we then move on to someone who has been very good to us, for whom we feel gratitude and respect. In the traditional terminology, this person is known as a "benefactor." Later we move to someone who is a beloved friend. It is relatively easy to direct lovingkindness to these categories of beings (we say beings rather than people to include the possibility of animals in these categories.)

After we have established this state of connection, we move on to those that it may be harder to direct lovingkindness toward. In this way we open up our limits and extend our capacity for benevolence.

Next we direct lovingkindness to someone whom we feel neutral toward, someone for whom we feel neither great liking nor disliking. This is often an interesting time in the practice, because it may be difficult to find somebody for whom we have no instantaneous judgment. If we can find such a neutral person, we direct metta toward them.

After this, we are ready for the next step -- directing metta toward someone with whom we have experienced conflict, someone toward whom we feel lack of forgiveness, or anger, or fear. In the Buddhist scriptures this person is somewhat dramatically known as "the enemy." This is a very powerful stage in the practice, because the enemy, or the person with whom we have difficulty stands right at the division between the finite and the infinite radiance of love. At this point, conditional love unfolds into unconditional love. Here dependent love can turn to the flowering of an independent love that is not based upon getting what we want or having our expectations met. Here we learn that the inherent happiness of love is not compromised by likes and dislikes, and thus, like the sun, it can shine on everything. This love is truly boundless. It is born out of freedom, and it is offered freely.

I think there are at least two points to be raised by Salzburg’s commentary. First, it would be helpful if just for a moment, the authors of the Texas GOP platform could engage in the practice of metta with ‘the enemy.’ Moreover, it may be constructive as well for those who stand in opposition to the Texas GOP platform to engage in the same reciprocal practice.

I hope to be guided today by the valuable conclusion of the Salzburg piece.

Metta is the priceless treasure that enlivens us and brings us into intimacy with ourselves and others. It is the force of love that will lead beyond fragmentation, loneliness and fear. The late Hindu guru Neem Karoli Baba often said, "Don't throw anyone out of your heart." One of the most powerful healings (and greatest adventures) of our lifetime can come about as we learn to live by this dictum.

Vintage Blue Note Record Covers

2010-06-21T16:03:00.004-04:00

Vintage Vanguard has great shots of the covers of the entire Blue Note Catalog. I absolutely love the texture and the composition of these covers.

Anyone who is a jazz fan realizes that the contents within the covers were capable of blowing your mind wide open. What I loved so much about these records were the liner notes which were works of art as stand alone pieces. I continue to learn so much about this invigorating art form each time I pick a record up.

When I first discovered the magic, tranquility and outer-spaciousness of jazz I used to go to the store and image what the record might sound like by simply looking at the cover much in the same way people tend to judge books by their covers. The first one I ever purchased was Midnight Special.

Players Include:
Jimmy Smith - Organ, Organ (Hammond)
Stanley Turrentine - Sax (Tenor)
Donald Bailey - Drums
Kenny Burrell - Guitar

After viewing these scans, I am convinced there is still something truly mystical and inviting about those Blue Note records.

Which ones are your favorites?

Summer Solstice

2010-06-21T14:15:00.005-04:00

Today is the first day of summer! W00t!

Thousands of Summer Solstice revellers gathered at Stonehenge to watch dawn break on the longest day of the year.

Happy Summer Solstice Everyone!

Meet Kevin Arrow

2010-06-21T07:51:00.011-04:00

Kevin Arrow is an amazing artist that is the subject of this week's interview. I find Kevin's artwork to be deliciously succulent and thought provoking.

I feel very fortunate to know Kevin personally and I think you will find his influences to be worthy of your own investigation. Some of the most magical moments I have had in a museum have been with Kevin. On more than few occasions, he has taken me for his own personal tours of exhibitions and provided the kind of commentary about the installations that sparkle with electricity. I think you too will find that his brilliance, kind-heartedness and wit shines intensely bright.

Kevin's work is now featured in the NEW WORK exhibition at the Miami Art Museum (MAM) through October 17, 2010.

Kevin Arrow, b. 1962, Mineola, New York (FYI The same town as Lenny Bruce).

He lives and works in Miami Beach, Florida.

"My work takes on various forms including, drawing, painting, and film based projects. These practices merge my interest in obsolete media, archival tendencies, the ephemeral object and humor. I’m continually seeking to find the sublime within the mundane, and the mundane within the sublime experience, in addition to investigating the interchangeability of both."

"In the projected works and drawings there is no specific meaning or narrative. The images are organized in a loose poetic manner creating an impression of visual flux that allows the viewer to free associate."

1. Have you met and engaged in performance art with Yoko Ono?

Yoko Ono had a full retrospective called YES organized by the Japan Society in New York. It traveled to MOCA, Miami where I have worked for twelve years in 2002.

Yoko arrived unannounced at the museum on the evening which we were completing the installation. There were just a few art installers and myself working late. Yoko Ono and her archivist/assistant knocked on the museum door and asked if they could enter the gallery for a sneak peak at our installation of her work. She was gracious and delighted by our attention to detail.

Yoko had her archivist take group photographs of herself with the workers and myself. In day after the opening Yoko was scheduled to give a standard artist talk, but she was so happy with our installation of her work that she gave Miami a full Yoko Ono performance; singing, talking, slides, noise, a yoga demonstration and the famous Bag Piece. Everyone was in awe!

I was asked before the event to participate along with Jon Hendricks (Fluxus scholar and Curator) in the Question & Answer performance portion of the evening. We both sat on stage with Balls of Yarn, (Me, Yellow and Jon Blue) two Jars and a pair of scissors each. I measured questions in lengths of yarn and Jon measured Answers. It was a very absurd Fluxus interpretation of events as they unfolded.The two Jars, Yarn and scissors remain as a Fluxus object in the museum's study collection.

2. Who is an artist that more people should be aware of?

Harry Smith

3. What book have you most referenced in the last three months?

GULAG a history by Ann Applebaum.
Nearly 700 pages of misery that make my daily work weeks seem like a holiday vacation paradise ice cream sundae.

4. What is it that people probably don't know about working in a museum?

We have a great deal of fun behind the scenes. Working in a contemporary art museum as an Exhibition Coordinator and Registrar is often times challenging, and beyond ridiculous.

I recently had to assist the Paris based collective artist Claire Fontaine with their rigorous, conceptual and political projects. For one specific project called Pill Spills they asked me to help import a large quantity of bootleg Viagra and Prozac from Mexico. When I learned about this project I immediately knew that it would be very, very difficult if, not impossible to make happen. Yes, the Viagra and Prozac were being made out of sugar by a legitimate candy factory in Mexico City, but the United States Food and Drug Administration is not exactly sympathetic to artist's creative endeavors.There were way too many regulations preventing this project from entering the country.

The project was aborted and was replaced by another project called Dildo Washer. An IKEA dishwasher loaded with very expensive black latex Dildos, Claire Fontaine says it's a statement about Feminism and Domesticity. I call it another day at work.

5. What is dominating or most influencing your current paradigm when you create your art?

It has always been all about the element of chance and the affinities I have for found objects.

Open Mic Friday

2010-06-18T12:48:00.001-04:00

Winter, Summer, Spring or Fall?

My Little Lady Turns 8 Today!

2010-06-18T12:47:00.002-04:00

Happy 8th Birthday to my Little Lady. You are my heart!

Craig Taborn Live on NPR Tonight @ 9pm

2010-06-17T17:15:00.003-04:00

I know many of you will be watching the NBA finals, so while you are rooting against the Fakers, you may want to check out NPR tonight for a live webcast of the Craig Taborn quintet tonight at 9 p.m. ET.

Thanks to Will for the heads up!

New York Style Pizza

2010-06-17T15:25:00.001-04:00

New York Style Pizza

That is all!

Summer Running

2010-06-17T08:53:00.005-04:00

Last night I went for a run and it was 88 degrees at 10 pm with nearly 100% humidity. Its just too hot to function in those temperatures and with almost no breeze, it is just so much harder to be efficient.

Running has really changed my whole way of being. Before I was a runner, I always wondered why people would ever be interested in that kind of punishment. When I first started to run, I could not even run 30 seconds without being out of gas. It took time to build up my fitness and mileage and now as long as I go out on the road every other day, it is not a problem to complete 4 or 5 miles each time.

Beginners who are interested in distance running have gravitated towards is the Galloway method, which encourages taking walking breaks every so often.

I personally have used Hal Higdon's method for half marathons. Although I had my initial doubts, his plan was perfect for me and helped me complete both half marathons that I have entered.

Finding the right shoe is very important for runners. For the past few years I have been wearing New Balance 708s which are featured in the picture at the top of the post. I absolutely love them and have another new pair in my closet when my current pair is ready for retirement.

Probably more than anything else, running has provided me with mental clarity and spaciousness that I did not have before. You might start out with a thought in your mind when you begin to run, but after a while of moving your legs, it really is just you and the road.

Caring About What Happens In Kyrgyzstan

2010-06-16T12:50:00.002-04:00

One exercise that I often used with my students is to read an introductory sentence or two from newspaper articles describing atrocities around the world. However, I would switch the location of the topics in the articles so that if there was a bomb that went off in an Afghani market killing 37 people, I would say that the bomb went off in Columbus, Ohio or Miami, Florida.

As soon as I mentioned it happening in their ‘universe,’ students immediately wanted to know much more about the situation. I would then tell them where the event really happened and their entire quest for information would disappear. I always wondered if there was a psychological experiment in that methodology…

It is in this context that I ask you to care about what happens in Kyrgyzstan.

Hostilities began late last week and have led to one of Central Asia’s worst humanitarian crises in recent decades as marauding bands of Kyrgyz singled out Uzbek neighborhoods. The death toll is in the hundreds, and as many as 100,000 Uzbeks have fled their homes and are in makeshift camps on the border area between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

The flow of people was so overwhelming that Uzbekistan had to close some of its border crossing areas leaving many standing at the border on the Kyrgyzstan side of a barbed-wire fence. Many ethnic Uzbeks that have remained in Kyrgyzstan have had to hide out in abandoned buildings.

The true number of casualties is unknown, as many of the dead were buried without relatives registering them as having been killed. A further 1,870 people are said to have been injured.

Herbie Hancock + Derek Trucks + Susan Tedeschi = Yummy

2010-06-16T08:52:00.004-04:00

Herbie Hancock has a brand new record, The Imagine Project, coming out on June 22, 2010. (Does anyone besides me still refer to new productions as records these days?)

Tracks include “The Song Goes On” with Anoushka Shankar (sitarist daughter of Ravi Shankar), Chaka Khan and Wayne Shorter which was recorded in Mumbai, India, along with a stellar group of Indian musicians; “Don’t Give Up,” a duet with guitarist extraordinaire Jeff Beck recorded in London featuring Seal and Pink, “Imagine” with Konono No. l, Jeff Beck, Oumou Sangare and Lionel Louke recorded in Paris and London; “Tamatant Tilay/Exodus” featuring Tinariwen, “Times They Are A Changin’” featuring The Chieftains, Lionel Loueke and Lisa Hannigan recorded in Ireland; “Jackpot” with Dave Matthews and Marcus Miller, “Space Captain” with Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, “Mi Tierra” recorded with Latin superstar Juanes in Miami and a track with Brazilian singer-songwriter Céu recorded in São Paulo.

Click here to see the juicy new ‘Space Captain’ video featuring Herbie Hancock, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi. After watching this one, you may feel like you have got your daily dose of gospel infused southern jazz for the day.

Ceci N'est Pas Une Pipe - (This Is Not A Pipe)

2010-06-16T07:26:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite images

Rene’ Magritte
The Treachery of Images 1928-1929

The Death of the Card Catalog

2010-06-16T06:58:00.002-04:00

I was at the library the other day and one of my children asked me how people found books in the library before there were computers. Subsequently, we had a very good discussion about the card catalog.

I remember sitting countless hours in front of that massive wooden structure with those tiny little drawers, leafing thru card after card and hoping to hit the jackpot. Sometimes, the cards would be completely out of order and I would take the time to rearrange them. I suppose this was probably the start of my career as an academic. I really miss what the library used to feel like and now when I enter all I see are lines of people waiting to get on the internet.

For me, the treats in the library were always in the 000 to 070 section. I could always find an interesting book about Bigfoot, UFOs, Reference materials, and news. Although we live in a world of instant gratification when it comes to information, I seem to recall that information was a commodity. It took great effort to actually ‘know’ something and I think that is rapidly disappearing.

When I see children at the library looking at Wikipedia for information and it makes me grit my teeth just a bit. A disturbing trend has been the reliance and citation of Wikipedia as a scholarly resource by law students. Despite the efforts of the Writing Center to educate the students, I do not think they actually realize that it is not a respected resource.

Interview with John Walkenbach of J-walkblog.com

2010-06-15T08:38:00.005-04:00

As part of a regular feature on ecryptical, and a strong influence of the work of Studs Terkel, I will be featuring brief interviews with people that I think are into things that might interest you too.

For our initial interview, John Walkenbach has been very kind and is answering some questions on his website, the infamous J-Walkblog.

Welcome J-Walk readers!

For those of you not familiar with John, he is a computer book author, an occasional consultant, and responsible for several popular Excel Add-In Products.

In the spirit of J-Walk, I would be remiss if I did not point out that the banjos shown here are just random banjos. They are likely not banjos owned by J-walk.

Jane Elliott's Eye of the Storm

2010-06-15T07:35:00.003-04:00

When I first saw ‘Eye of the Storm’ on PBS years ago, I was completely fascinated by the boldness of Jane Elliott. She is one of those people that completely blew the doors off of whatever paradigm had previously existed in my universe.

In response to the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. she devised the controversial and startling, "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" exercise. This, now famous, exercise labels participants as inferior or superior based solely upon the color of their eyes and exposes them to the experience of being a minority.

I have been a big believer of her work for years and used her materials in my classroom on a regular basis.

Consider taking a few moments today to review this outstanding video which changed the lives of the participants forever.

Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid

2010-06-14T12:43:00.003-04:00

It seems like yesterday that I first discovered Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid (GEB).

In college, I had this uber-eccentric roommate who was a certified lunatic and a complete genius. He chain smoked cigarettes, worked on obscure math theories, slept all day and stayed up all night, rigged the CD player to play Led Zeppelin’s ‘Communication Breakdown’ as his alarm clock, and wore all black before wearing all black was something people did. I was fascinated by him and terrified at the same time.

Late one night, I asked him for something to read. He offered me his copy of GEB and cautioned me with these words, ‘be prepared for your life to change.’ Maybe he knew how powerful this book was and was trying to warn me. Naturally, I didn’t believe the hype.

I didn’t know at the time that Douglas R. Hofstadter's book was going to be a giant influence in my life. GEB won the Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction in 1990.

Besides being a profound and entertaining meditation on human thought and creativity, this book looks at the surprising points of contact between the music of Bach, the artwork of Escher, and the mathematics of Gödel.

Perhaps my favorite parts of the book were how each chapter contained brilliant Lewis Carrollesque dialogues between the Tortoise and the Hare which really cemented and linked the materials together.

I have shared this book countless times with others who have all enjoyed the space that is created by this fabulous book.

What books have you read that have made a strong impact on you?

You Don't Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows in Arizona

2010-06-14T07:53:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago, Arizona State Senator Russel Pearce wasn’t exactly a household name.

Russel Pearce is a leading architect of the Arizona law that sparked outrage throughout the country: Senate Bill 1070, which allows law-enforcement officers to ask about someone's immigration status during a traffic stop, detainment or arrest if reasonable suspicion exists — things like poor English skills, acting nervous or avoiding eye contact during a traffic stop.

Senator Pearce is now proposing a new bill that would deny birth certificates to children born in Arizona to parents who are not legal U.S. citizens. In short, his proposal would strip citizenship from those who have citizenship under the US Constitution.

The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution states:

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Pearce says the 14th Amendment has been "hijacked" by illegal immigrants. "They use it as a wedge," Pearce says. "This is an orchestrated effort by them to come here and have children to gain access to the great welfare state we've created." Pearce says he is aware of the constitutional issues involved with the bill and vows to introduce it nevertheless. "We will write it right."

You don’t need a weatherman to know how the winds are blowing on this issue with Arizona Governor Jan Brewer. Governor Brewer made these comments in a videotaped interview:

‘It is illegal to trespass in our country. It has always been illegal. If people have determined that they want to take that chance, and that responsibility ... they can take their children back with them.’

This is the same governor who has removed the state's attorney general, Terry Goddard, a Democrat and her potential challenger for re-election, from defending Arizona's new immigration-enforcement law, accusing him of colluding with the U.S. Justice Department as it weighs whether to challenge the law in court.

The xenophobic atmosphere of Arizona is hardly an anomaly today. Legislators in Florida are proposing a similar measure and last week the Texas GOP adopted a platform which calls for an enactment of a law similar to the Arizona statute.

When the laws of our country are written to deny basic fundamental rights to a group of people, it is painfully obvious that ignorance and fear is a motivating influence. Please let your voices be heard on this very important issue.

Friday = Open Mic

2010-06-11T08:48:00.006-04:00

Talk amongst yourselves

What are some of your Internet pet peeves?
For me it the clear front runner would be people who do not respond to emails.

Thanks for reading this week and have a great weekend!

Bonnaroo Music Festival Starts Today

2010-06-11T07:07:00.003-04:00

The 2010 Bonnaroo Music Festival Starts today.

NPR will be broadcasting a live audio stream beginning at 1pm EST today. No current schedule is announced at this time.

Youtube will be broadcasting a live video stream with the schedule below.

Friday, June 11th:
Julia Nunes – 12: 15 pm – 1:15 pm
Neon Indian – 1:15 pm – 1:45 pm
Carolina Chocolate Drops – 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm
The Temper Trap – 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
The Dodos – 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Damian Marley & Nas- 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Mayer Hawtorne and the Country – 5:30 pm – 5:45 pm
The National – 5:45 pm – 7:15 pm
Tori Amos – 7:15 pm – 8:00 pm
Michael Franti & Spearhead – 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Tenacious D – 9:30 pm – 11:00 pm

Saturday, June 12th:
Punch Brothers ft. Chris Thile – 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Gaslight Anthem – 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Norah Jones – 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Trombone Shorty – 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Mumford & Sons – 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
The Dead Weather – 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Umphrey’s McGee – 7:30 pm – 7:55 pm
Jimmy Cliff – 7:55 pm – 9:25 pm
LCD Soundsystem – 9:25 pm – 10:55 pm
Kings of Leon – 10:55 pm – 11:30 pm
Jay -Z – 11:30 pm – 1:30 am

Sunday, June 13th:
The Avett Brothers – 12:30 pm 1:45 pm
John Butler Trio – 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm
Regina Spektor – 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
John Fogerty – 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Weezer – 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Zac Brown Band – 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Ween – 8:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Rise Against – 8:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Dave Matthews Band – 9:00 pm – 11:30 pm

Phish Summer Tour Starts Today

2010-06-11T06:59:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite bands PHISH is starting their summer tour this week! I know I’m going to be enjoying some summer shows and I hope to see you all out there.

Part I
06/11 - Toyota Park, Chicago, IL
06/12 - Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
06/13 - Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA
06/15 - nTelos Pavilion, Portsmouth, VA
06/17 - Comcast Theatre, Hartford, CT
06/18 - Comcast Theatre, Hartford, CT
06/19 - SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY
06/20 - SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY
06/22 - Comcast Center, Mansfield, MA
06/24 - Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ
06/25 - Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ
06/26 - Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
06/27 - Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
06/29 - CMAC PAC, Canandaigua, NY
07/01 - Walnut Creek, Raleigh, NC
07/02 - Verizon Wireless Amp Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
07/03 - Verizon Wireless Amp at Encore Park, Alpharetta, GA
07/04 - Verizon Wireless Amp at Encore Park, Alpharetta, GA

Part II
08/05 - The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA
08/06 - The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA
08/07 - The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA
08/09 - Telluride Town Park, Telluride, CO
08/10 - Telluride Town Park, Telluride, CO
08/12 - Verizon Wireless Music Center, Noblesville, IN
08/13 - Verizon Wireless Music Center, Noblesville, IN
08/14 - Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI
08/15 - Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI
08/17 - Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre, Wantagh, NY
08/18 - Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre, Wantagh, NY

Rumor has it that new material is going to be played and my hope is that it will be as strong as last year’s new songs. The debuts last year of ‘Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan,’ ‘Kill Devil Falls,’ ‘Ocelot’ and ‘Time Turns Elastic’ were rock solid.

World Cup 2010 Overview

2010-06-10T20:17:00.003-04:00

The entire world is going to be glued to the results of each World Cup match that begins this week. Although the top seeded teams are expected to advance to the knockout stage, there are several really good matchups that should be of interest.

While the US v. England match is being hyped as a key first round match, I have to wonder which US team is going to show up. Will it be the team that knocked out Brazil and Spain in the Confederations Cup earlier last year, or will it be the team that struggles with chemistry issues? Of particular note is the lack of defensive strength on the backline. If I am Coach Bradley, I have to strongly consider if Michael Beasley will be placed in the back just for speed purposes to counteract the swift England speed on the wing. The US has some great players up front who could give England’s defense trouble.

England has been a great disappointment in recent Cup campaigns but I believe this team is really primed for success. Like the US, their weakness is at the back especially with injuries to Rio Ferdinand. However, there can be no question that this team is supercharged at the front with world class players, speed and skill. If England wins this first game in pool play, look for them to have a fairly easy path to the Semi-Finals where they could play The Netherlands or Brazil. Even if England wins this game, look for the US to advance to the next round where they likely will face Germany.

It is widely known that Spain is a team that is completely dangerous and is capable of domination. Spain may have some real challenges in their pool play with all three opponents capable of putting some surprises into the Cup. If Spain wins their group as expected, they can expect some very stiff competition in knockout stage where they could be facing successive games against the second place team in Group G (South Korea, Portugal, or Ivory Coast) a potential quarterfinal matchup with Italy and a possible Semi-Final matchup with Germany or Argentina.

Brazil is going to be a heavy favorite in this tournament, but I would not overlook The Netherlands. They are playing terrific football right now and could be the team to win it all. These two teams could face each other in a Quarter-Final match that features two teams capable of being in the final. The winner of that match could find themselves against England for a trip to the WC final.

Argentina has not looked impressive at all in the qualifying stage and yet everyone still understands they are dangerous because they have not yet played their best football. There are at least two readers of this blog that would have a gigantic smile if Argentina goes the Final. Germany and Italy of course are going to be mentioned as favorites, but some are expressing doubts about these two teams having what it takes to go the distance.

Surprise teams that could do well in this tournament include France, Mexico, Portugal, Uruguay, Nigeria and Serbia.

However, all of this is just fun speculation. The games start on Friday and I know I’ll be watching!

Ethics, the Law and the Body Politic

2010-06-10T11:02:00.004-04:00

It was 20 years ago this week that I graduated from college.

Strangely enough, what I remember most about that day was that I was missing a Grateful Dead show in California. I left the next day for California and saw a terrific run of shows at Cal Expo and Shoreline with a juicy Jerry Garcia Band sandwich at the Warfield between the Sacramento and Mountain View Dead shows.

I cannot recall who my college graduation speaker was or even the topic. However, I am reminded of a piece that I read years ago that described the greatest graduation speech that the author ever heard.

That speech is available for reading here and was written by William Kunstler.

For those of you who may not know, William Kunstler was for many years the best-known civil rights attorney in America. He had, since he first represented Freedom Riders attempting to integrate interstate busses in Mississippi in 1962, been a central figure in nearly every major civil rights case. Because many of his early clients are now American heroes, it is easy to forget that at the time Kunstler represented them, most were American pariahs. He represented or worked with Martin Luther King, Lenny Bruce, Malcolm X, Phillip and Daniel Berrigan, H. Rap Brown, Stokely Carmichael, Adam Clayton Powell, the Chicago 7, Jack Ruby, Attica prisoners, Black Panthers, Wounded Knee Indians, and countless others.

The part of Kunstler's speech that has always resonated with me is this section:

As you know, the American Revolution was not a revolution engineered by poor people or by people who sold rats for a penny a pound down on the Long Wharf in Boston. It was engineered by the wealthy who wanted to transfer the power of wealth from London to New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. The people who fought it were those people who sold rats on the Long Wharf--the tinsmiths, the blacksmiths, and so on. But those who gained the most from it were the wealthy, the slave owners.

They met in Philadelphia in 1787. They met at what's called Independence Hall, designed by a very famous lawyer, Andrew Hamilton, who defended John Peter Zenger in that famous freedom of speech trial in 1735 in New York. They blacked out the windows with paint so that no one would know they were going to violate their orders from those who sent them there by writing a new constitution and not reforming the Articles of Confederation, which was why they had been sent to Philadelphia. They were so afraid that people would find out what they were doing that they had Benjamin Franklin followed home every night and then followed from his lodgings to Independence Hall, because old Ben liked to tip a glass or two at the local tavern and they were afraid that he would give away the story before it was ready to be given away. They worked all summer and they evolved this document.

The document is fine. It sets up a tripartite form of government, and so on, but it says nothing about human rights whatsoever. And while they were talking about the supremacy clause in that document, somebody stood up and said, "How about a bill of rights?" This man was George Mason of Virginia. They voted on it. They voted twelve to one against a bill of rights. The only one that didn't vote against it was, strangely enough, North Carolina. I guess those delegates from North Carolina would be very surprised to see that the man who sits in the United States Senate from that state today is Jesse Helms. They voted again. Again, twelve to one against a bill of rights.

And so, Mason left the convention, joined by John Randolph of Virginia and Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts. The Constitution went out for ratification and they were so afraid that it would not be ratified that they made a two-thirds vote the ratification number, rather than unanimous. Five states immediately ratified--Georgia and Connecticut among them. But the big states of Virginia, New York, and Massachusetts did not ratify immediately. In fact, as you know, the Federalist Papers were created by Hamilton and Jay and Madison to try to sell the Constitution to the New York ratifying convention. Finally, Massachusetts--meeting in the Long Wharf in Boston and led by Elbridge Gerry--had an idea: Massachusetts will ratify if you agree to have a bill of rights in the first congress. There was agreement on that score and the three big states voted narrowly--three votes in New York and ten in Virginia--and the Constitution became law.

There was an election, George Washington and John Adams were elected president and vice president, and a congress was elected. It met in Federal Hall (still standing in New York) in 1791 and there was a vote on a bill of rights. After thrashing it out for months, they finally got a bill of rights.

The Senate voted that it should not be binding on the states; the House voted that it should be binding on the states. The Senate won. (It took six hundred thousand lives between 1861 and 1865 to begin to make the Bill of Rights binding on the states.) It went out for ratification. Virginia ratified on December 15 of that year, and that became the anniversary year of the Bill of Rights.

It had twelve amendments. The first two were meaningless for present purposes; they were never voted in. They had to do with salaries for representatives and senators. You can see what was on their mind with reference to what came first. The third, Freedom of Speech became the First, and so on.

Can you ever recall a graduation speech from any event you attended? Did it move you in any way?

Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche on Twitter

2010-06-10T07:21:00.003-04:00

Twitter is one of those concepts that I really don't dig. I could care less whether or not someone is on the cellphone with a famous celebrity while in a public bathroom eating a ham sandwich with honey mustard.

But lately I have been turned on to a really delicious Twitter site. Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche (DPR)is now on Twitter.

Rinpoche is acknowledged as one of the foremost scholars and meditation masters of Tibetan Buddhism in his generation. Fluent in English and well-versed in Western culture and technology, he is known for his sharp intellect, humor and the lucidity of his teachings.

DPR also has a great website that is full of some wonderful items.

What I like the most about his Tweets is that they really do bring me back to the present moment. My friend Kris in Seattle turned me on to DPR about 10 years ago and I am happy to say that my life has been much richer as a result.

Each day, like many of you, I get wrapped up and thinking about things that lead me away from focusing on what is. Rinpoche's Tweets are a subtle reminder to focus on the now and what is.

Major Conference Realignment in College Sports About to Happen?

2010-06-10T07:13:00.002-04:00

Word is out that there could be a major change in the conference alignment by the weekend.

Nebraska apparently is headed to the Big Ten and the Pac-10 is poised to become the Pac 16

According to ESPN, Colorado already has received an invitation to join the conference, while five other invitations will be extended to Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

A Big 12 football coach, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach on Wednesday night that if Nebraska left the Big 12 the conference would dissolve, according to his athletics director and university president. The coach said Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado would join the Pac-10, leaving Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Iowa State behind.

There could be a major domino effect for just about every other major conference including the potential demise of the Big 12. It will be particularly interesting to see what will happen to the SEC and the ACC but let me just say right now that regardless of whatever happens, my father would never forgive me if I forgot to mention that Dook still sucks!